Update: Travis to review jail policies after suspect nearly released

[Draggingtree]

Austin Statesman :

Update: Travis to review jail policies after suspect nearly released

By Tony Plohetski and Sean Collins Walsh - American-Statesman Staff, KVUE News

Updated: 2:23 p.m. Tuesday, February 14, 2017 | Posted: 12:02 p.m. Tuesday, February 14, 2017

 

UPDATE 2:20 p.m.: Travis County sheriff’s officials said they will review their internal policies to ensure they are aware of all possible charges against an inmate before declining federal immigration detainers.

 

“We intend to review the matter and consider possible policy modifications,” Maj. Wes Priddy said.

 

Earlier:

 

Travis County sheriff’s officials Tuesday are explaining why a man charged with sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl was not initially held for an immigration check by ICE.

 

Led by state Sen. Dawn Buckingham of Lakeway, Republicans have pounced on the case of Hugo Gallardo-Gonzalez, 31, who was charged in January with “continuous sexual abuse of a young child,” a first-degree felony for which he faces life in prison.

 

They criticized Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez for her policy of limiting the county’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities following reports that Gallardo-Gonzalez, whom ICE had requested be held in the county jail so immigration officials could seize him, was slated to go on free on bail.

 

Gallardo-Gonzalez remains in the Travis County jail and is now being held on an ICE detainer that sheriff’s officials agreed to on Tuesday morning.

 

Sheriff’s Maj. Wes Priddy said jail staff did not initially honor the ICE detainer on Gonzalez because it was not immediately clear that Gonzalez was being booked on one of several charges for which Hernandez has agreed to honor a federal hold.

 

Therefore, they denied the ICE request. However,

[Draggingtree]

ICE detainer denied for man charged with repeatedly sexually assaulting young girl

• My Fox Austin
• 1 day 2 hours ago
• 

• http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/235608723-story

[Draggingtree]

Travis DA makes deal to ensure criminal cases aren’t derailed by ICE

METRO-STATE

 

By Tony Plohetski - American-Statesman Staff, KVUE News

Highlights

ICE had deported suspects with pending Travis County cases, letting them escape punishment on their charges.

 

Travis DA and ICE will communicate better on cases in which someone being deported faces a criminal charge.

 

Travis County prosecutors and federal immigration officials have developed a procedure to ensure suspects charged in pending felony cases face justice before being possibly deported, District Attorney Margaret Moore told the American-Statesman and KVUE-TV on Thursday.

 

Officials for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have agreed to notify prosecutors if they learn a suspect arrested by ICE agents in Travis County has an unresolved local matter, allowing prosecutors to take the case to court or possibly finalize it with a plea deal.

 

Immigration agents also have promised to do the same if they realize a defendant, who has already gone through the deportation process, is about to be expelled from the country. Prosecutors could then file court motions to have that inmate returned to Travis County.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/travis-makes-deal-ensure-criminal-cases-aren-derailed-ice/yigkEd5T7oOo10ksdBfVoI/